How and when did your particular air gun collecting bug actually bite.

[Grayling]

It was Dingles post on my other thread with regards dreamed of loft finds that got me thinking how our views have changed and what was once seen as simple TAT is now seen as TREASURE . I'm fairly new to the airgun collecting bug and started collecting pellets at first. This again only started because I had many full and partial tins of Champion brand pellets. These were a local company to me on the Wirral. Once based in the Tarran way industrial estate in Moreton, now sadly gone . Where we got all our airgun ammo in the mid 80's while on pest control duties for a local dock based company in Liverpool and Birkenhead. Champion must have had one of the largest variety's of pellets types/designs than any company ever in the airgun industry I remember seeing literally hundreds of different types in the factory. They even made a special gold plated pellet that were being sent to Saudi Arabia for some rich oil sheik. And yes I actually saw a tin at the time and yes again I would dearly love to have a full tin now .

Any way fast forward to about 2006 and me clearing out the loft in my mothers house to find about 40 to 50 various tins of Champion pellets, Eley Wasps, Prometheus, Titan Black, Nato airgun bullets etc. I then decided to try to get my hands on the old BSA underlever that was above the fireplace in my grandparents house when I was a child. I have just got my hands on this old rifle now, 7 years later. Although I did manage to get my hands on a Haenel Mod IVE in terrible condition (a BSA Club Standard copy). Happily mega wooly Mally Ally made the missing bits to get it shooting again.

Going right back to the 70's although a very keen airgunner my air rifles and later rimfires were used on pest control duties around local council Allotment gardens, Leather Tanneries, Market Gardens, Grain warehouses, arable/dairy farms, Stables etc so were more tools than cherished items. This has now totally changed however. But I cringe now when I think of the rifles that were given to me by various family members, sadly no longer with us so I cannot ask them about these rifles or what the unknown ones were . I have mentioned on the earlier thread Meteors, Vulcans, Airsporters and I'm sure there was an original Mod 50 but others I just cannot remember. I know a Vulcan is still languishing in the loft. But all the rest were sold or swapped on, how I now regret this. I knew the old BSA underlever fed our family from before WW1 up until the late 40's but as my uncles flew the nest they all carried on feeding their families in Ration book Britain with their newly bought Airsporters and later Meteors, Vulcans etc AND I SOLD or SWAPPED them on . I kick myself over this now and like Dingle see myself as a prick because of this. I cringe even more when I think of the pellets I binned because they were oxidised . Old Pylarms, Webley orange and green boxes etc, oh the realisation .

I am still active on the pest control scene, a HW100 is my weapon of choice now, the rimfires are long gone . Although I have now added many of the rifles I owned or wanted as a young man AA Camargue/AA Hi-power/AA Firepower and an ASI Paratrooper repeater which was the dogs danglies to little horrible Scousers when I was a kid. I now also own 9 various vintage BSA underlevers, 2 pre war Diana Mod 27s and the Haenel Mod IVE. Plus I still also have my very first rifle a 1964 vintage Milbro Model 23 junior rifle that I found in a bombed house (never found out how it got there) and my still treasured Venom 80 bought from the masters themselves in 1983.

Like I said earlier AN OLD HEAD IS A WISE HEAD I just wish there was some one to tell me all this 30 odd years ago.

[Blackrider]

OK Gary, since no Bugger's pitched in on this Thread, I thought I'd better start the Ball rolling !

Got my first airgun (pistol) in 1966 ! Yep, you guessed it, a "Harry Gat" !
Lusted after an Airsporter (as we all did) but sadly couldn't afford one.
Over the years I shot a good few airguns, Relums, Mercury's Webbo's etc. but didn't really get into the collecting bug.
Throughout the 70 and 80's, I got more into fishing, not airgunning, so my interest wained.
Picked it up in the mid 90's with the advent of the Theo. Rapid !
Had three and a few "rammers" and loved the experiance !
Started collecting about then with old Beezaz. my "collection" ebbed and flowed over the next few years. Sometimes I had 15/20, then it would drop to about 8 or so.
A year back I had 29 including powderburners. This has dropped to 12 plus my c'fires.
Out of the 12, I cant see myself parting with any, I've looked at it and each time I pick a gun out, I immediatly return it to the cabinet !
Not saying I wouldn't sell for the right price but it'd be a hard bargain !

OK, Thats Me !

John.

[Blackrider]

What I was going to say is;

Cant wait for John's (Johnbaz) addative !

Mmmmm....

John.

[edbear2]

Hi Mate..I have never been a huge collector, I think the most I have ever owned at one time is 23 guns (I know to some that may seem a lot...but trust me it is 5-10% of what some have).

I started early shooting as both my mum and dad and my older brother (by 6 years) all shot. My dad had a Mk 1 Airsporter that was out of bounds, but my earliest recollection was probably shooting a tin plate something at the age of 8-9 with darts in the garden when my older brother had his mates around. We were lucky in that my mum was warden of an old peoples home with a small wood and an overgrown orchard, although it was supposed to be private, it was a magnet for anybody locally with a gun of any type back then (mid 60's), so there was always somebody shooting something, and I would tag along for a go at an early age. It was a different time then and battles with webley pistols and rifles up to meteor size were fairly normal, with us wearing old donkey jackets that were way too big, and German and British helmets borrowed from home, and bike goggles...don't ask me why all my friends were able to find them...it just seemed normal back then that dads had this sort of thing upstairs

Of course I had cap guns as well, and an Airfix slr, which lost it's bayonet and broke it's barrel (didn't they all?)


By the time I was 10 or 12 I owned a couple of ratty break barrels, but had shot most stuff...My first new rifle was a daisy 1894 as I was a wild west fan and my parents thought I would love it...didn't have the heart to tell them. by this age I was doing paper rounds and learning from bigger kids all the tricks of scouring building sites and parks (and even the back of pubs) for discarded pop bottles to get refunds on, and even then used to go to junk shops and look for guns...I had a few Webley pistols, an early Diana 50 and after a lot of saving, one of the first Mercury MK1's to arrive in the place where I would always be found, Coles gunshop of Cirencester. (I was 14 when I got that...god knows where it went...I suspect big bruv).

After that, I got a moped at 16, so the shooting went quiet for a bit as I explored the west country, but I always had at least 2 rifles sitting around...The diana lasted the longest, I think I swapped it for a Mitchell 300 reel.

My parents parted company when I was 17, so never found out what happened to the old man's sporter, as I went to live with an ex-guards man with my mum, it was around that time that all my airguns went walkies (big bruv again!).

I did some shotgunning then, but mostly practical stuff as I have never been much of a hunter, and had a friend who had a permission and rifles, so used to shoot there, and his dad had a BSA standard which opened my eyes to how well they shot in capable hands.

By the time I was in my early 20's I had moved to a small flat in Surrey, and used to shoot a bit at Bisley (short Siberia) and Aldershot, but only had a Mercury. I suppose it was when I moved to near Aldershot in the early 80's and finally had a house and garden that I started plinking again and shooting more air...It was just less hassle, and a lot cheaper!

The first gun I bought then was an early standard which I got from a shop in Weybridge I remember, from then the usual happened...took it to work (I used to work on the Brookland circuit in the old Hawker sheds, and a few of us had various "toys" and the space to use them at dinnertime), and someone would say "Oh..I've got an old air rifle", or "my mate has one to sell" etc. etc.

I try to keep it sensible, and shoot everything in strict rotation...but of course like most on here, the lure of the "next best thing" is a bugga to shake off!

ATB, Ed

[Grayling]

What I was going to say is;

Cant wait for John's (Johnbaz) addative !

Mmmmm....

John.

Thanks for your post John, in regards to JB he isn't called GKJB for nowt John, JBs post will be more like War and Peace if he goes into detail

I think I swapped it for a Mitchell 300 reel.

The first gun I bought then was an early standard which I got from a shop in Weybridge I remember, from then the usual happened...took it to work (I used to work on the Brookland circuit in the old Hawker sheds, and a few of us had various "toys" and the space to use them at dinnertime), and someone would say "Oh..I've got an old air rifle", or "my mate has one to sell" etc. etc.

I try to keep it sensible, and shoot everything in strict rotation...but of course like most on here, the lure of the "next best thing" is a bugga to shake off!

ATB, Ed

Enjoyed that Edster . Noticed the Mitchell 300 bit to mate. I love all the Mitchell range and have 42 in my collection at the moment. And have renovated numerous of these reels in the past. I have literally hundreds of pounds worth of spares. All except 440 spool housing back plates, the holy grail part for all Mitchell fans. I still have my first two, a Mitchell 300C and a Mitchell 440 Match that I bought from my mothers Peter Craig catalogue in the late 70's. I'm after a decent early half bail arm 300 from the late 40's early 50's at the mo. Even now they are the only reels I use while out fishing.

[Blackrider]

Thanks for your post John, in regards to JB he isn't called GKJB for nowt John, JBs post will be more like War and Peace if he goes into detail



Enjoyed that Edster . Noticed the Mitchell 300 bit to mate. I love all the Mitchell range and have 42 in my collection at the moment. And have renovated numerous of these reels in the past. I have literally hundreds of pounds worth of spares. All except 440 spool housing back plates, the holy grail part for all Mitchell fans. I still have my first two, a Mitchell 300C and a Mitchell 440 Match that I bought from my mothers Peter Craig catalogue in the late 70's. I'm after a decent early half bail arm 300 from the late 40's early 50's. Even now they are the only reels I use while out fishing.

Mitchell 300's mmmmm. now me n you really have some catching up to do !

jOHN.

[Grayling]

Mitchell 300's mmmmm. now me n you really have some catching up to do !

jOHN.

If you are a Mitchell fan also then yes mate, kindred spirits or what .

[Blackrider]

If you are a Mitchell fan also then yes mate, kindred spirits or what .

Oh my word but Yes !
How long have yer got, are you a Carper, a Redmire buff perhaps ?

John.

[Grayling]

Oh my word but Yes !
How long have yer got, are you a Carper, a Redmire buff perhaps ?

John.

Well I am a passionate Grayling fisherman really John and long standing member of the Grayling society. I also love catching Tench, Bream, Dace, Barbel and Crucian Carp. Carp are pretty far down on my list to be honest. Although Redmire pool is the Twickenham of the fishing world and I would love to just walk its banks, let alone fish there.

[edbear2]

If you are a Mitchell fan also then yes mate, kindred spirits or what .

I got back into Pike fishing last year after a 40 year break mate...I'll tell you a funny story when we next meet...All my kit was off the bay, a nice 300 with 3 spools in a bag for £15 odd quid, and a cracking (unused looking) Lee of Redditch 9'6" fibreglass spinner with safety twist ferrule, all agate rings and champagne anodizing for not much more...I use old re-hooked snapdragon plugs and vintage spoons and Colorados, and last time out got some sniggers from the multi-rod carbon youngsters...as I did in the shop when I asked what the hell a "jerkbait" was

I caught an 8 pound Pike in front of them, and you should have seen their faces

It's a bit like shooting old guns, or maybe I am just awkward (or believe that fish don't worry if you have spent a grand on tackle as long as you stick something in front of them that looks edible).

Sorry to wander off topic........most unlike me!

ATB, Ed

[Blackrider]

Well I am a passionate Grayling fisherman really John and long standing member of the Grayling society. I also love catching Tench, Bream, Dace, Barbel and Crucian Carp. Carp are pretty far down on my list to be honest. Although Redmire pool is the Twickenham of the fishing world and I would love to just walk its banks, let alone fish there.

Say na more on here, I'll catch up on the 15th June !

John.

[wotswot]

well chaps from what I can see we all suffer from the same disease! we all seen to have this within us, with me it all started with cap guns cowboy stuff,air rifles as I grew. then model aeroplanes and engines I have 200+ engines some new some very old most still in original boxes,take them out fondle and lube um then put away again.. silly but I love um..then girls followed by motor bikes then lots of beer! and on to cars most of which I still wish I had like the enclosed pic of my pride and joy my rs2000 my lovely wife said it needs to go as it's not used... big mistake!!! sold it 5 years ago for 7k it's now worth 20k.. It now seems to go full circle back to guns.the thing that worries me my young son seems to be going the same way!! one thing I like a lot is that most people that have this disease seem to get on so well. after only a few days on this forum I meeting with the famous edbear, it was like i'd known him years.. funny old world?? keep up the good work chap's.. alan

[wotswot]

sorry chaps got carried away there and forgot the photo ... so here she is or was!

[wotswot]

http://s1291.beta.photobucket.com/us...tml?sort=3&o=2

sorry.. here it is....

[red bob]

coming from a village with one street lamp and one road sign you had two choices for pass times ,either the only girl worth looking at in the village or take to the fields poaching .so bartering with the local travellers[gypsy's] for some antiquated airgun ; i started with a cadet which i was reliably informed by the said gypsys would knock down a rabbit at some unbelievable distance which i of course believed . i traded up to a meteor from the same people [god was i gullible] but i did spend some of my happiest childhood hours with a mate tornado and meteor in our grubby little hands traipsing round boothys fields much to his annoyance;hilarious now i think about it, he used to chase us in his old tractor as he was so rotund! his old man i remember was arrested when he loosed off both barrels of his shotgun at the milktanker doing the rounds.
when i finally acquired an airsporter i was sure i had reached airgun nirvana;as i lived on a big nursery my mates would turn up and take a pick of my rather odd collection of used and abused airguns ;i recall an old scorpion grafted into an equally old stock being amongst my box of treasures!! we couldnt shoot pistols accurately so it seemed the simplest solution,i recall someone turning up with a hurricane which try as we might couldnt hit anything smaller than a lawn mower grass box ;we concluded with our errr limited experience that it must be so powerful it was inaccurate.my last purchase before i gave up airguns temporarily was a webley, which model i cant remember except on the box when it arrived from kays catalogue was the inscription "webley probably the best airguns in the world" .after 20 plus years away raising family, paying mortgage,i came back to it and have made up for lost time acquiring every model i dreamt of but couldnt have back then .my all time most loved model as so many here already know is the fwb 124s followed closely by a series 2 mk3 but when i want to rattle a few cans the old cadet major is still simple honest plinker with loads of memory's.